Cactus help

I wonder if anyone can ID this cactus and tell me also if it is ok for an unheated garden room for the winter? It is actually more green than blue (this is a snap taken with my phone). I've looked on the net but find IDing cacti very tricky.

Could anyone recommend a good starter cacti and succulent book guide?



Thanks
GG

 

Not one I've grown but then that's not saying much.

It looks like a desert cacti, so bearing that in mind, apart from a few, most are OK in cool frost free winter conditions as long as they are kept dry, that means at the roots as well as the top.

I have a few books on cacti but mostly small hand books, bought over the years, even with those ID ing a particular plant is not easy.
There are many different kinds and you also get variation within a particular species.

If you are really getting in to cacti I'd suggest finding a specialist nursery to visit, the available plants at those kind of places is amazing, and you also learn a lot, and the plants will be labelled.

 

It looks like a Trichocereus. Possibly T. Peruvianus. Not illegal in this country but it is in some. It is quite cold hardy but does better in mild to warm temps over winter. Just keep an eye on it and if it starts to suffer then move it somewhere warmer. They do flower very well in the summer so there is that to look forward to.

 

Thanks both.
@Lea I think you are right, it looks very similar. Thanks for that, I will have a recce to see how best to treat it. The mescaline is a bonus @pete finding a specialist nursery round here in the boonies is a non starter but will look around for one in cities that I visit. The exception is Iris, there is a famous nursery fairly near - pity I only really like the tiny mauve ones

I'm quite getting into C&T so I think I'll buy a book or two.

Cheers
GG

 

Try this one for mail order, www.cactusland.co.uk

 

We had a good small cactus nursery in Kent a few years ago, but it appears to not be online now.
Holly Gate in Sussex was good, still there I think, but I have a feeling the owner died so it doesn't appear to have a website anymore.

 

I visit cactusland every year at least once. If you go in June the cacti are in flower and the scent from them just fills the air in the glass houses. I always spend far too much there every time I go though.

 

I visited Holly gate cactus nursery last year, but it is no longer open to the general public as the glasshouses are unsafe. I was lucky enough to be allowed to purchase some of the remaining stock. It looks very sad now when you think what a wonderful collection was there, and how long it must have taken to set up.

 

I bought "The Encyclopedia of Cacti" online from "Keith's Cactus Books".

Fabulous value.

 

Still haven't decided on a reference book yet, but have bought a few I liked to start a small collection. Also a friend has given me these (no labels) as he didn't want them and wondering if anyone could help with IDs? I think they must be fairly common and have had a stab from online resources but still find it tricky as am a complete novice with these sorts of plants. Thanks.
GG

 

The cactus in the top photo looks like one of the Cerei.
Possibly Pilisocereus. It is still very small (they get to 5 meters and more in the wild)

The photo on the bottom, can't see all the plants clearly but:

Top left: Adromiscus or Crassula
Top Middle: Echevaria
Top right: Parodia
Bottom left: crestate Mammillaria
Bottom middle: Mammillaria
Bottom right: Haworthia cymbiformis

There seems to be water in the trays under the pots.
Cacti and succulents shouldn't be watered to early in the season. Light levels are still weak, and if they start growing, they will get etiolated.

 

Thanks @Sirius that is really helpful. I did have a stab at identifying them myself but was quite confused with a few especially the lower left and lower right and the top right. Appreciate your exertise on this. Am off to the big city tomorrow so will browse through some books at Foyles.

btw, they haven't been watered, I had just washed the saucers out after potting some of them on as they were in a bit of a state when I got them. Thanks for pointing that out though.

Cheers
GG